1769’ and long-boat to fearch for freih water; but juft as they
1__were about to put off, we faw feveral boats full of people
Saturday.14. ,com;ng from the ihore, and therefore I did not think itfafe
for them to leave the fliip. About ten o’clock, five of thefe
boats having drawn together, as if to hold a confultation,
made towards the fhip, having on board between eighty and
ninety men, and four more followed at fome diftance, as if
to fuftain the attack: when the firft five came within about
a hundred yards of the ftiip, they began to ling their war
fong, and brandifhing their pikes, prepared for an engagement.
We had now no time to lofe, for if we could not prevent
the attack, we ihould come under the unhappy necellity
of ufing our fire-arms againft them, which we were very de-
firous to avoid. Tupia was therefore ordered to acquaint
them that we had weapons which, like thunder, would
deftroy them in a moment; that we would immediately convince
them of their power by directing their effedt fo that
they ihould not be hurt; but that if they perfifted in any
hoftile attempt, we ihould be obliged to ufe them for our
defence: a four pounder, loaded with grape-ihot, was then
difcharged wide of them, which produced the defired effedl.;
the report, the flaih, and above all, the ihot, which fpread
very far in the water, fo intimidated them, that they began
to paddle away with all their might : Tupia, however, calling
after them, and alluring them that if they would come
unarmed, they ihould be kindly received; the people in one
of the boats put their arms on board of another, and came
under the ihip’s ftern ; we made them feveral prefents, and
ihould certainly have prevailed upon them to come on board,
if the other canoes had not come up, and again threatened
us, by ihouting and brandiihing their weapons: at this the
people who had come to the fhip unarmed, expreiled great
difpleafure, and foon after they all went away.
In
fn the afternoon we flood over to the fouth point of the
bay, but not reaching it before it was dark, we Hood off and c— .--->
on all night. At eight the next morning, being a-breaft of Sunday >5.
the point, feveral fiihing boats came off to us, and fold us
fome flunking fiih: it was the beft they had, and we were
willing to trade with them upon any terms : thefe people
behaved very well, and we ihould have parted good friends-
if it had not been for a large canoe, with two and twenty
armed men on board, which came boldly up along-fide Of
the fhip. We foon faw that this boat had nothing for traffic,
yet we gave them two or three pieces of cloth, an article
which they feemed very fond of. I obferved that one man-
had a black ikin thrown over him, fomewhat refembling
that of a bear, and being defirous to know what animal was
its firft owner, I offered him for it a piece of red baize,
and he feemed greatly pleafed with the bargain, immediately
pulling off the ikin, and holding it up in the boat
he would not, however, part with it till he had the cloth in
his poffeflion, and as there could be no transfer of property;
if with equal caution I had infilled upon the fame condition,
I ordered the cloth to be handed down to him, upon
which, with amazing coolnefs, inftead of fending up the:
ikin, he began to pack up both that and the baize, which he
had received as the purchafe of it, in a baiket, without paying.
the leaft regard to my demand or remonftrances, and
foon after, with the fiihing boats, put off from the fhip ;
when they were at fome diftance, they drew together, and
after a ihort confultation returned ; the fiihermen offered-
more fi(h, which, though good for nothing, was purchafed,
and trade was again renewed. Among others who were:
placed over the Ihip’s fide to hand up what we bought, was
little Tayeto, Tupia’s boy ; and one o f the Indians, watching
his opportunity, fuddenly- feized him, and dragged him
down: